Electromagnetic pumps



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WILLIAM GEORGE HUTCHINSQN LESLIE CHARLES COLE ATTORNEYS SR mum mrmmbt melmzm ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS W. G. HUTCHiNSON ETAL Jan. 2, 1962 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. G. HUTCHINSON ETAL ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS Jan. 2, 1962 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 mvamons ELIAM GEORGE mrrcnmson LESLIE CHARLES COLE BY Ju 10 ATTORNEYS ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 INVENTORS A EORGE HUTCHINSON WILLI CHARLES COLE Jan. 2, 1962 w. G. HUTCHINSON ETAL 3,015,278

ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 Q Q Q Q i r I I 1 11L 3 w R Q 1 w .M w a w R m g m w GE mm 3 1952 w. e. HUTCHINSON ETAL 3,015,278

ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS Filed Jan. 9, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WILLIAM GEORGE HUTCHINSON LESLIE CHARLES COLE By: as 4%! ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,015,278 ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMPS William George Hutchinson, Appleton, near Warrington,

and Leslie Charles Cole, Culcheth, Warrington, England, assignors to United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, London, England Filed Jan. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 707,972 Claims priority, application Great Britain Jan. 30, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 103--1) This invention relates to induction type electromagnetic pumps, that is, pumps in which an electrically conductive fluid is moved in a channel in the pump by the interaction of a magnetic flux passing through the fluid and a current induced by said flux and it is concerned primarily with induction type electromagnetic pumps for radioactive liquid metals, which are necessarily confined in heavy shielding but which must nevertheless be accessible for maintenance.

The invention provides an induction type electromagnetic pump in which the electrical parts can be withdrawn for maintenance by remote handling.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation, FIG. 2 is a sectional end elevation FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view on the line III-III of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged details of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively.

In the drawings a pump channel 1 (slightly inclined for drainage purposes) comprising a portion 2 of flattened section and two end diffuser portions 3 and 4, is supported by split castings 5 and 6 welded to pipes 7 and 8 at flanges 9 and 10. Adjacent each side 2 of the flat portion 2 is a stator 11 having windings 13 (shown in outline), conductor bars 14 and clamping plates 15. The stators 11 are supported by pivoted arms 16 fixed to the stators 11 by studs 17 in a stator end plate 12 (FIG. 3) and the centre of each arm 16 is mounted on pivot pins 19 in a carriage 18. In FIG. 3 the stator end plate 12 has welded to it a distance piece 69 which abuts a stop 70 fixed to the split casting 5 thus limiting the movement of the stators 11 towards the pump channel 1 and leaving a small clearance 71 between the stator 11 and the flat portion 2 of the pump channel 1. The upper end of each arm 16 has a peg 23 which rides in a slot 21 in a cam plate 24 (see FIG. 2). Each cam plate 24 is fixed to a bolster plate 25 which is in turn fixed to bridge pieces 26 by stifieners 27. A partly screw threaded rod 28 with a square end 29 passes through a nut 30 in the centre of the carriage 18 and then through a boss 31 with a foot 32. (FIG. 2), to provide a means for pivoting the support arms 16 towards and away from the sides of the pump channel. The boss 31 is fixed between the bridge pieces 26 and is held on the rod 28 between collars 33 and 34 by a nut 35. The carriage 18 is provided with tubular lifting lugs 22 and runs on bifurcated pivoted guides fitted with stops 36.

The pump assembly is located beneath shielding 37 and is housed in a gas tight container 68 comprising a cylindrical part 38 with dished ends 62 and a drain 67, and a rectangular acess pipe 39 passing through a hole 40 in the shielding 37. The guides 20 extend part way through the shaft 39 and the pipes 7 and 8 leading into the pump channel 1 pass through the dished ends 62 \within concentric pipes 63, 64 which are connected with 37, web stifieners 45 between the top rib 44 and the flange 43, and cut-away channel sections 46 with web stitfeners 47 between the two top ribs 44 on the shorter sides of the pipe 39. The channel sections 46 rest on packing 52 above the shielding 37.

Between the top two ribs 44 on the longer sides of the pipe 39 the pipe is penetrated to admit pipes 53 and 54, the pipe 54 being sealed by a plug 55 to form a pocket for a terminal box (not shown) having leads passing through the plug 55. Electrical leads 56 from the terminal box to the pump assembly are cast in a minor concrete shield plug 57 which fits in the pipe 39 beside a major concrete shield plug 58 encased in a steel sheath 59 and supported on a locating member 60 which also carries the guides 20. A lifting eye 61 is provided on the major plug 58.

To remove the stators 11 from the pump the cap 41 is removed and the major plug 58 is withdrawn. The rod 28 is then screwed down taking with it the boss 31, the bridge pieces 26 and the cam plates 24. The pegs 23 on the arms 16 ride up in the slots 21 in the cam plate 24 and the arms 16 pivot about the pins 19 drawing the stators 11 away from the flat portion 2 of the pump channel 1. When the pegs 23 reach the top of the slots 21 the carriage 18 with dependent stators 11 is drawn up the pipe 39 on the guides 20 together with the minor plug 57 containing the electrical leads 56 which are disconnected from the terminal box. To replace the stators 11 the carriage 18 is lowered on the guides 20 as far as the stops 36 allow. The rod 28 is rotated to reverse the motion described above and bring the stators 11 towards the pump channel 2 until the distance piece 69 comes into contact with the stops 70 and limits the movement. The shape and position of the slots 21 ensures that when the stators are in position the pegs 23 rest in the lower parts of the slots 21, which are parallel to the flat portion 2 of the pump channel 1. Hence when there is an internal pressure in the channel such as to bring the flat portion 2 in contact with the stator 11 (i.e. close the gap 71) there can be no further expansion of the channel by forcing apart the stators. The pivoting of the guides 20 accommodates expansion in the pipe 8.

The container 68 may be filled with nitrogen through the pipe 53 to prevent oxidation of the windings 13 when the pump is operated at high temperatures.

We claim:

1. In combination with an electromagnetic pump including a pump channel of flattened cross-section and having inlet and outlet connecting pipes, and a pair of stators disposed opposite each other adjacent said channel, said pump being disposed within thick radioactive shielding having an aperture therethrough, means for remotely inserting and removing said stators through said shielding aperture comprising guide means secured to the walls of said aperture and extending adjacent said pump channel, a carriage movable on said guide means, pivotable means connecting said pair of stators with said carriage, and means on said'carriage for actuating movement of said pivotable means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a slotted plate movable relative to said stators, said pivotable means having a portion thereof engaged in a slot of said slotted plate, and said slot being so disposed relative to said pivotable means as to cause pivoting thereof with movement of said plate.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic pump is housed in a gas-tight container.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said aperture is lined with a metal access pipe which extends to the vicinity of the pump, said access pipe being closed at the outside of the shielding by a cover plate and closed on the inside of the shielding by a sealed container, said 3 4 container housing said electromagnetic pump, inlet and 2,375,591 Schweitzer May 8, 1945 outlet pipes for said pump passing through said container 2,685,796 Romanowski et a1. Aug. 10, 1954 via sealing bellows. 2,715,190 Brill Aug. 9, 1955 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2811923 Barnes 1957 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 2,183,680 Kahlifi Dec. 19, 1939 376,478 Great Britain July 14, 1932 

